In light of what Keith suggests about Pilots liking to fly using ALT and HDG, or some very simple utilization of the Automation, perhaps we should first decide just how much automation is needed, desired, and sufficient.
Do we need "Stick Shakers", "Cyclic Wigglers", Collective 'Stiffeners", auto-hover and all that kind of super cooper magic stuff or can we be better served by sticking to simpler systems?
I admit I would love to have enjoyed the SA system of offshore approaches where I punch the numbers into the FMS and watch the AFCS/FMS fly the approach right down to the barest of minimums, but do I really need that for my standard ol' offshore flying?
We should also decide what we want the Pilot(s) to do in the "Flying" of the machine. Or, is it too late to figure out "what" we want to do and then sort out the details of how to build, test, certify, and implement the system(s) to do that?
Or.....is that what we are really doing now with the discussion extant?
HC,
Professionalism is motivated from within, not without. Either One is driven to be "professional" or One is not. I flew with lots of Pilots but very few real "Professionals".